Suicidal shooter hit the CDC Atlanta campus nearly 200 times

Before the Aug. 8 shooting, the deceased suspect spoke about suicide and wrote about his discontent with COVID-19 vaccines, police said at a news conference Tuesday. The suspect, 30-year-old Patrick Joseph White of Kennesaw, Ga., had no criminal history, although police had been called about his suicidal remarks, said Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey.

What happened at the CDC shooting on Friday? White killed DeKalb County Police Officer David Rose, Hosey said. About 500 total rounds were fired, hitting six buildings on the Atlanta campus of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention nearly 200 times. White killed himself, Hosey said. Officers from nearby Emory University responded to the scene, but their shots didn’t hit White, Hosey said. No CDC employees were hurt. FBI Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown added that children who were at a daycare in the area were all safely reunited with their families.

What has the investigation found so far? Police recovered five firearms from the scene that Hosey said White stole after breaking into his father’s safe. His family cooperated with investigators. Warrants uncovered writings of White’s. The shooter wanted to make the public aware of his distrust of the vaccines, Hosey said.